We sought to characterize the Dotson Zone heavy-rare earth element (HREE) enriched deposit at Bokan Mountain, Alaska, and conduct a parallel characterization and comparison of a less well-mineralized HREE analogue at Dora Bay, Alaska.
Scientific Issue and Relevance
Global demand for critical mineral commodities is on the rise with increasing applications in consumer products, computers, automobiles, aircraft, and other advanced technology products. Much of this demand growth is driven by new technologies that increase energy efficiency and decrease reliance on fossil fuels. The USGS Minerals Program seeks to understand the nature and distribution of critical mineral resources in the United States. In the Alaskan Alexander terrane, both the Early Jurassic Bokan Mountain and Dora Bay igneous complexes are composed of peralkaline granitic rocks with silicate vein dikes enriched in both light and heavy rare earth elements. Both igneous complexes are under study to increase understanding of the nature and distribution of rare earth element (REE) resources in the United States.
Science Activities
We sought to fully characterize the Dotson Zone heavy-rare earth element (HREE) enriched deposit at Bokan Mountain, Alaska, and place the igneous-hydrothermal evolution of the deposit into the context of the petrogenetic evolution of the Bokan Mountain peralkaline granite and other associated uranium-thorium-rare earth element (U-Th-REE) prospects. Parallel characterization and comparison of a less well-mineralized HREE analogue at Dora Bay provided a better understanding of the factors leading to HREE enrichment in peralkaline granites.
Our activities focused on the following:
- Mineralogy, fluid chemistry, and geochronology of the Dotson Zone heavy rare earth elements (HREE),
- Geology and economic geology of the Bokan Mountain intrusion, and
- Mineralogy, geochemistry, and geochronology of the Dora Bay peralkaline intrusion and comparisons to Bokan Mountain.
Return to Mineral Resources Program | Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Magmas to Metals: Melt Inclusion Insights into the Formation of Critical Element-Bearing Ore Deposits
Petrology, Tectonic Setting, and Potential for Concentration of Rare Earth Elements (REE) and High Field Strength Elements (HFSE) in the High-K Darby and Kachauik Plutons, Seward Peninsula, Alaska
Alaska Geophysical Survey Interpretation
Airborne Geophysics for Rare Earth Element Deposits (AGREED)
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Geochemical analyses of rock samples collected from the Dotson and I and L rare earth element deposits of the Bokan Mountain peralkaline igneous complex, Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska
Geochemical analyses of rock samples collected from the Dora Bay peralkaline igneous complex, Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska
Geochemical analyses of rock samples collected from mineral deposits and intrusions of the Bokan Mountain peralkaline granitic complex, Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska
Below are publications associated with this project.
Geophysical interpretation of U, Th, and rare earth element mineralization of the Bokan Mountain peralkaline granite complex, Prince of Wales Island, southeast Alaska
The Early Jurassic Bokan Mountain peralkaline granitic complex (southeastern Alaska): geochemistry, petrogenesis and rare-metal mineralization
A deposit model for carbonatite and peralkaline intrusion-related rare earth element deposits
Bokan Mountain peralkaline granitic complex, Alexander terrane (southeastern Alaska): evidence for Early Jurassic rifting prior to accretion with North America
Alaska's rare earth deposits and resource potential
The principal rare earth elements deposits of the United States: A summary of domestic deposits and a global perspective
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
We sought to characterize the Dotson Zone heavy-rare earth element (HREE) enriched deposit at Bokan Mountain, Alaska, and conduct a parallel characterization and comparison of a less well-mineralized HREE analogue at Dora Bay, Alaska.
Bokan Mountain, Alaska. Scientific Issue and Relevance
Global demand for critical mineral commodities is on the rise with increasing applications in consumer products, computers, automobiles, aircraft, and other advanced technology products. Much of this demand growth is driven by new technologies that increase energy efficiency and decrease reliance on fossil fuels. The USGS Minerals Program seeks to understand the nature and distribution of critical mineral resources in the United States. In the Alaskan Alexander terrane, both the Early Jurassic Bokan Mountain and Dora Bay igneous complexes are composed of peralkaline granitic rocks with silicate vein dikes enriched in both light and heavy rare earth elements. Both igneous complexes are under study to increase understanding of the nature and distribution of rare earth element (REE) resources in the United States.
Science Activities
We sought to fully characterize the Dotson Zone heavy-rare earth element (HREE) enriched deposit at Bokan Mountain, Alaska, and place the igneous-hydrothermal evolution of the deposit into the context of the petrogenetic evolution of the Bokan Mountain peralkaline granite and other associated uranium-thorium-rare earth element (U-Th-REE) prospects. Parallel characterization and comparison of a less well-mineralized HREE analogue at Dora Bay provided a better understanding of the factors leading to HREE enrichment in peralkaline granites.
Our activities focused on the following:
- Mineralogy, fluid chemistry, and geochronology of the Dotson Zone heavy rare earth elements (HREE),
- Geology and economic geology of the Bokan Mountain intrusion, and
- Mineralogy, geochemistry, and geochronology of the Dora Bay peralkaline intrusion and comparisons to Bokan Mountain.
Return to Mineral Resources Program | Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Magmas to Metals: Melt Inclusion Insights into the Formation of Critical Element-Bearing Ore Deposits
This project applies innovative melt inclusion and mineralogical techniques to characterize several distinctive magma types occurring together with prodigious, critical rare earth elements (REE) and gold-(antimony-tellurium) ore deposits within the U.S. We will characterize the pre-eruptive/pre-emplacement magmatic conditions in several districts. The goal is to determine the role of magmatism in...Petrology, Tectonic Setting, and Potential for Concentration of Rare Earth Elements (REE) and High Field Strength Elements (HFSE) in the High-K Darby and Kachauik Plutons, Seward Peninsula, Alaska
One of the geologic environments that host rare earth and other critical and strategic element deposits are alkaline intrusive rocks.Alaska Geophysical Survey Interpretation
Available geophysical data for Alaska have not been fully exploited. Project objectives were to conduct systematic analysis of existing gravity, aeromagnetic and airborne electromagnetic data to map geologic trends, structural geologic and tectonic patterns, and identify key lithologies for direct integration with geologic framework and mineral potential studies.Airborne Geophysics for Rare Earth Element Deposits (AGREED)
The USGS Airborne Geophysics for Rare Earth Element Deposits (AGREED) project coordinated with industry to use high resolution airborne geophysical data collected over some of the advanced rare earth element (REE) projects in the U.S. These data were analyzed, interpreted and modeled to generate an improved understanding of the geologic setting, framework, and ore genesis for REE deposits. In... - Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Geochemical analyses of rock samples collected from the Dotson and I and L rare earth element deposits of the Bokan Mountain peralkaline igneous complex, Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska
This data release presents the major and trace element chemistry of rock samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from trenches, channel cuts, test pits, and surface exposures of the Dotson and I and L Zone rare earth element deposits at Bokan Mountain, located in the southern part of Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska. Bokan Mountain was formed by an Early Jurassic peralkalGeochemical analyses of rock samples collected from the Dora Bay peralkaline igneous complex, Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska
This data release presents the major and trace element chemistry of rock samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from surface exposures of the Dora Bay igneous complex (DBIC), located in the southern part of Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska. The DBIC is Early Jurassic in age (Bala and others, 2014) and is U-Th-heavy rare earth element (HREE)-enriched like the Bokan MountaGeochemical analyses of rock samples collected from mineral deposits and intrusions of the Bokan Mountain peralkaline granitic complex, Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska
This data set compiles the major and trace element chemistry of rock samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at Bokan Mountain, located in the southern part of Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska. Bokan Mountain was formed by an Early Jurassic peralkaline igneous complex that intruded into lower Paleozoic rocks of the Alexander terrane of southeast Alaska. The pluton and sur - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Geophysical interpretation of U, Th, and rare earth element mineralization of the Bokan Mountain peralkaline granite complex, Prince of Wales Island, southeast Alaska
A prospectivity map for rare earth element (REE) mineralization at the Bokan Mountain peralkaline granite complex, Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska, was calculated from high-resolution airborne gamma-ray data. The map displays areas with similar radioelement concentrations as those over the Dotson REE-vein-dike system, which is characterized by moderately high %K, eU, and eTh (%K, perceThe Early Jurassic Bokan Mountain peralkaline granitic complex (southeastern Alaska): geochemistry, petrogenesis and rare-metal mineralization
The Early Jurassic (ca. 177 Ma) Bokan Mountain granitic complex, located on southern Prince of Wales Island, southernmost Alaska, cross-cuts Paleozoic igneous and metasedimentary rocks of the Alexander terrane of the North American Cordillera and was emplaced during a rifting event. The complex is a circular body (~3 km in diameter) of peralkaline granitic composition that has a core of arfvedsoniA deposit model for carbonatite and peralkaline intrusion-related rare earth element deposits
Carbonatite and alkaline intrusive complexes, as well as their weathering products, are the primary sources of rare earth elements. A wide variety of other commodities have been exploited from carbonatites and alkaline igneous rocks including niobium, phosphate, titanium, vermiculite, barite, fluorite, copper, calcite, and zirconium. Other elements enriched in these deposits include manganese, strBokan Mountain peralkaline granitic complex, Alexander terrane (southeastern Alaska): evidence for Early Jurassic rifting prior to accretion with North America
The circular Bokan Mountain complex (BMC) on southern Prince of Wales Island, southernmost Alaska, is a Jurassic peralkaline granitic intrusion about 3 km in diameter that crosscuts igneous and metasedimentary rocks of the Alexander terrane. The BMC hosts significant rare metal (rare earth elements, Y, U, Th, Zr, and Nb) mineralization related to the last stage of BMC emplacement. U–Pb (zircon) anAlaska's rare earth deposits and resource potential
Alaska’s known mineral endowment includes some of the largest and highest grade deposits of various metals, including gold, copper and zinc. Recently, Alaska has also been active in the worldwide search for sources of rare earth elements (REE) to replace exports now being limitedby China. Driven by limited supply of the rare earths, combined with their increasing use in new ‘green’ energy, lightinThe principal rare earth elements deposits of the United States: A summary of domestic deposits and a global perspective
The rare earth elements (REE) are fifteen elements with atomic numbers 57 through 71, from lanthanum to lutetium ('lanthanides'), plus yttrium (39), which is chemically similar to the lanthanide elements and thus typically included with the rare earth elements. Although industrial demand for these elements is relatively small in tonnage terms, they are essential for a diverse and expanding array o - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.